Install/Bootloader

Install Guide: Bootloader

Install Guide, Chapter 14

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boot.conf Configuration

These install instructions show you how to use GRUB to boot using BIOS (legacy) or UEFI.

ego boot update (ego boot) is installed by default, but GRUB is not, as it is not required for all Funtoo Linux systems (such as containers, for example.) But for booting on bare metal, it is the recommended and best-supported boot loader, so you will need to emerge it:

chroot # emerge -av grub

Next, edit /etc/boot.conf using nano and specify "Funtoo Linux genkernel" as the default setting at the top of the file, replacing "Funtoo Linux".

NVIDIA Graphics Card Users

If you have NVIDIA graphics and plan to set up a graphical environment, you have a couple of choices when it comes to graphics drivers -- the proprietary NVIDIA drivers provided by NVIDIA corporation itself, or the Open Source Nouveau drivers. If you don't know which to choose, we recommend starting with the proprietary NVIDIA drivers first for optimal performance on a wider range of hardware.

If using proprietary NVIDIA graphics...

It is safe to leave the nomodeset parameter in /etc/boot.conf as the proprietary drivers handle setting the graphics mode themselves. However, you will need to blacklist the nouveau modules so they do not load upon boot. See the NVIDIA Linux Display Drivers page for information on how to get these drivers set up.

If using Nouveau...

nomodeset should be should be removed as explained in the Other Graphics Cards section below.

Other Graphics Cards

Most users, particularly those who plan on setting up a graphical environment, will want to eventually remove nomodeset from params in /etc/make.conf. nomodeset prevents the kernel from changing graphics modes at boot. This option is in /etc/boot.conf by default for a couple of good reasons:

• For users with HiDPI (4K+) displays: when the kernel automatically changes graphics modes, the console font can be tiny and unreadable.
• For users with incompatible graphics cards: Some graphics cards don't handle mode setting properly and this can result in a blank screen after reboot.

Disabling mode setting is therefore a good, safe option for initial installs of Funtoo Linux, but most users will want to remove this option.

This is because essentially all graphics drivers (the big exception being the proprietary NVIDIA drivers) rely on mode setting to set the graphics mode of your display. So most users will need to remove it, and run ego boot update and reboot before they set up X or Wayland. Otherwise, X will not be able to initialize the display. You can also choose to remove it now.

/etc/boot.conf should now look like this:

   /etc/boot.conf

boot {
	generate grub
	default "Funtoo Linux genkernel" 
	timeout 3 
}

"Funtoo Linux" {
	kernel bzImage[-v]
}

"Funtoo Linux genkernel" {
	kernel kernel[-v]
	initrd initramfs[-v]

        # IMPORTANT: Most users -- remember to REMOVE nomodeset below!

	params += real_root=auto rootfstype=auto nomodeset
}

If you are booting a custom or non-default kernel, please read man boot.conf for information on the various options available to you.

Intel Microcode

ego boot will ensure that you have the most recent Intel CPU microcode installed on your system if you emerge the following packages:

chroot # emerge intel-microcode iucode_tool

This is not necessary for AMD systems.

Old School (BIOS) MBR

When using "old school" BIOS booting, run the following command to install GRUB to your MBR, and generate the /boot/grub/grub.cfg configuration file that GRUB will use for booting:

chroot # grub-install --target=i386-pc --no-floppy /dev/sda
chroot # ego boot update

New School (UEFI) Boot Entry

If you're using "new school" UEFI booting, run of the following sets of commands, depending on whether you are installing a 64-bit or 32-bit system. This will add GRUB as a UEFI boot entry.

For x86-64bit systems:

chroot # mount -o remount,rw /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
chroot # grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id="Funtoo Linux [GRUB]" --recheck /dev/sda
chroot # ego boot update

For x86-32bit systems:

chroot # mount -o remount,rw /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
chroot # grub-install --target=i386-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id="Funtoo Linux [GRUB]" --recheck /dev/sda
chroot # ego boot update

First Boot, and in the future...

OK -- you are almost ready to boot!

You only need to run grub-install when you first install Funtoo Linux, but you need to re-run ego boot update every time you modify your /etc/boot.conf file or add new kernels to your system. This will regenerate /boot/grub/grub.cfg so that you will have new kernels available in your GRUB boot menu upon your next reboot.

Install Guide, Chapter 14

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